Electric block-signal system for railways.



Patented Dec. 12, 1899. L. G. WERNER. ELECTRIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM FDR RAILWAYS.

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No. 638,782. Patented Dec. I2, 1899.

- L. C. WERNER.

ELECTRIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR BAILWAYS.

(Application filed Oct. 7, 1898.) Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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LOUIS CHARLES IVERNER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY:

ELECTRIC BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,782, dated December 12, 1899.

Application filed October 7, 1898. SerialNo- 69 ,893- (No odeL To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS CHARLES WER- NER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Louisville,in the county of Jeiferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Block-Signal Systems for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric block-signal systems for railways; and it has for its main object the provision of an automatic electric signal system of this type by means of which when a train or vehicle is on any block a signal will be transmitted to the engineer in the cab if the block in advance of him is not clear.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on that shown, described, and claimed in the patent granted to me June 21, 1898, No. 605,941, and in which one of the most important features is the employment of suitable means for registering or recording the passage of each train onto a block, and especially the improper passage of a train into such block after the engineer has received a signal that the block in advance of him is not clear. In the present case this feature of the system shown in my prior patent just mentioned is retained, but in a modified form, and in this construction I prefer to combine with the sectional-con ductor register system a semaphore block-signal system controlling the transmission of signals to the engineer and also cont-rolling the registering'apparatus by means of which the proper or improper passage past a signal or semaphore is registered or recorded. Hence the main feature which distinguishes this part of my present invention from the corresponding feature of my aforesaid patent is the controlling of a register or recorder by the signal devices or semaph ores arranged at the side of the road for each block, and while these semaphores may be operated in any suitable manner I preferthat they be controlled directlyby circuits governed by the passage of vehicles or trains in order that the operation of the system may not only be simplified, but also rendered entirely automatic in its action, both in setting the semaphores and in operating the register mechanism.

The register or recorder which I em ploy may be of any suitable construction; but I prefer to make use of a rotary recording-dial which may be punctured by two separately-operative recording devices, one of which will operate every time that a train passes into a block if the block is not clear, while the other will only operate when the engineer passes out of the block after he has received warning that the block in advance of him is not clear and that the signal or semaphore is set against him. Such a rotary recording device should of course be suitably fed, and I prefer to impart thereto a step-bystep feed movement.

In general it is my object to provide a safety signal system in which when there is danger ahead a signal will be transmitted to the cab of an approaching engine, so as to warn the engineer, and with this purpose in view I have illustrated herein the manner in which my system may be adapted for use in connection with different danger-points, such as open switches, interfering track sections which may cause side-wiping collisions, and especially for conveying a warning-signal if a rail in either side of a block should be broken or the continuity of the metal track of a block interrupted by the loosening or removal of a rail in an attempt to derail the train.

In the drawings accompanying and formingpart of this specification, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating my improved block-signal system in connection with a line of way adapted for use as a single-track road.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating myinvention in connection with almain track and an interfering side track running into the main line. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the application of one feature of my invention to a switch controlling a main track and a siding running into the same. Fig. 4 is an outline end elevation, partly in section and on an enlarged scale, illustrating in full lines the construction of and the circuits controlling my improved register or recorder and its cooperating devices. Fig. 5 is a plan of the register shown on a somewhat larger scale. Fig. 6 is a substantially central transverse section of the same. Fig. '7 is a plan with parts broken away of the dial of the recorder and the ratchet-wheel for operating the same. Fig. 8 is a side elevation illustrating my improved signaling devices or semaphores and the mounting-therefor. Fig. 9 is a plan of the same, and Fig. 10 is a sectional detail illustrating one of the track-contacts and a cooperating traveling contact-maker on a vehicle or train.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Fig. l, I have illustrated in this View two sections or blocks of a line of way embodying my improved automatic block-signal system and adapted for use asa single-track road, 0 designating one of the rails of the track,wl1ile T represents the other, both of these rails being preferably sectional ones, forming insulated blocks. It should be understood, of course, that the ends of the block-rails of each section may be insulated from each other in any desired manner in order to form the blocks. At the entrance to each block I have illustrated herein at least one sectional conductor which may be a somewhat short track-contact, such as 0, located between the rails of the track, at one side of the center thereof, and preferably near the outer rail, this contact device being in each instance in a circuit controlled from the block in advance of it and preferably through asemaphore or signal device governed by a circuit from such block in advance of said track-contact. This contact device or trackcontact 0 is in the present case connected, as by means of a conductor or wire 2, in a circuit controlled directly by a semaphore ahead of it and is in position to permit atraveling contact-maker carried by a vehicle or train moving along the track to make contact therewith and close a circuit to a signaling device or indicator on such vehicle to indicate to the engineer at the entrance of the block whether there is danger ahead in substantially the same manner shown and described in my prior patent hereinbefore mentioned. This traveling contact-maker is indicated in Fig. 4 by t and is electrically connected with a suitable indicating or signaling device, such as i, on the vehicle in a circuitincluding, preferably, a battery or source of energy I) in circuit with the rails through the axles or wheels of the vehicle in the usual manner.

As before stated, one of the principal features of the present invention is the employment of semaphores, at least one being used for each of the diiferent blocks, which will control the circuit to this signaling device and will also control a circuit or circuits to a register or recorder, by means of which a permanent record may be kept of the running of a train and especially of the improper running thereof. In the preferred construction these semaphores will be controlled by the passage of vehicles or trains into and out of the blocks of the line of way, and hence it will be seen that not only are signals sent to an indicator on the train and a register or record of the running of the train made automatically, but also that the semaphores at the side road are automatically operated in accordance with the movements of such train.

Usually a semaphore or signaling device, such as S, will be located at the point of junction of two adjacent block-sections, and this semaphore will preferably be operated electrically by a circuit from the block-section in advance of it,'and in turn it should control one or more circuits to the block-section in the rear. In this case the semaphore S is constructed to make or break a circuit connectin g the conductor 2 and one of the track-rails, said semaphore in this case having thereon an insulated metallic contact member or arm 5, connected by a conductor 2 to conductor 2, said contact-arm 5 being positioned to engage a contact-post 6, connected by a conductor 2 to the track-rail r. This semaphore therefore controls one break in a circuit to the signalingdevice on the vehicle or train, and the other break will of course be controlled by the traveling contact-maker on such train.

In the construction shown the semaphore is intended to be controlled by the block ahead of it, as before stated, and preferably will be held in a normal clear position by a normally-closed local circuit, (indicated in a general way by L,) including therein a battery and an electromagnetic semaphore-operating device, usually two electromagnets, such as e, of the type having an S-shaped armature, such as is indicated at 7, this armature being secured to the semaphore S.-

This local circuit L is intended in this case to be controlled by a relay, such as 0', one member of which will be an electromagnet included in a circuit having a battery 1), connected by a conductor 10 to a track-rail at one side of the entrance to a block, while the electromagnet of the relay is connected by a conductor 10 to a track-rail at the opposite side of the entrance to the block. It will be apparent now that while this semaphore S will normally be held in its clear position by the normally-closed circuit L, yet when the tra ck-rails of the block in advance of the semaphore are bridged in any wayas, for example, by a train standing or moving thereona circuit will be closed to the relay 1" and the local circuit L will be broken, whereupon, of course, the semaphore S will drop to danger, and the contact-arm 5 thereof will make contact at 6, which will close one break in the circuit to a train entering the block in the rear of the semaphore S. WVhen the train reaches the track-contact c, the traveling contact-maker on the train will of course close the circuit to give a warning-signal to the engiueer.

The signaling device or indicator 2' on the vehicle will ordinarily be a single-stroke bell located in the engineers cab, and I prefer to so organize the cooperating parts of the system as to permit the sounding of different signals on this bell, these signals corresponding IlO to the nature of the obstruction or danger ahead of the train. In this case I prefer to employ for the purpose of governing these signals track-contacts having dissimilar contact-faces, one contact member having, for example, one contact-face, while another will have two separated contact-faces, and so on, according to the number of signals which may be employed; Here the track-contact c has three such separated contact-faces, and hence the normal signal for indicating at the entrance to a block that the block ahead of it is not clear is the sounding of three strokes in the engineers cab by the signal-bell 2'.

I may state here that I also employ signals of one, two, and fourstrokes, respectively, one stroke of the bell indicating in the present case an open switch, while two indicates that a car on an interfering siding projects into the path of the car or train moving on the main track, while four strokes will indicate that a rail of a block-section has either been broken or else the continuity of a circuit therefrom has been interrupted by loosening or removing a rail.

In order to prevent the derailment of the train by the breaking, loosening, or removal of a track-rail, I prefer to employ in connection with each block of a line of way two closed circuits, one of which includes the track-rails on one side of the block, while the other includes those of the other side of the block. One of these circuits includes conductors, such as 15, 15', and 15", and also a battery, such as b, while the other includes conductors 16, 16, and 16 and also a battery 6". Thus each separate circuit includes as part thereof the connected rails at one side (or the other) of the track, and this circuit will be normally closed under all ordinary working conditions; but if the circuit at the trackrails should be interrupted in any manner-- as by the breaking of a circuit or the loosening or removal of a rail in an attempt to derail the train-such interruption will be indicated to the engineer of an approaching train by the dropping to danger position of the semaphore or signal controlled by such interrupted circuit. The circuits which include these track-rails are connected to opposite ends of the same line of rails and are in this system never interrupted except in the manner just described and under all normal working conditions will be closed and will hold their respective semaphores in their clear positions.

It will be noticed that the conductors 15 and 16 are connected to opposite block-rails near the exit end of a block, While conductors 15 and 16 are connected to opposite block-rails near the entrant end of the same block. The circuits from the batteries (9" and b also include, respectively, electromagnetic actuating devices, such as e and 6', similar to those shown at e and having similar 8- shaped armatures 7"and 7", connected, respectively,to corresponding semaphores, such as S and S. All of these semaphores may be supported for oscillation on a common round rod or fixed shaft, such as 20, carried by a bracket or frame, such as 25,supported on the usual mast or post P. This bracket 25 may have suitable arms, such as 25, 25", and 25, for supporting the different electromagnets, and the bracket-arms 25 and 25 are also intended in this case to support suitable stops for limiting the downward movements of the semaphore-arms, which stops may also constitute contact posts or terminals of the circuits controlled by the movements of the semaphores, the stop and contact post 6 hereinbefore mentioned being one of these members, while a corresponding insulated .contact-post 6, carried by the arm 25", serves to stop either the semaphore S or S and close a circuit through either the battery I) or b when either of said semaphores drops to indicate the breaking, loosening, or removal of a rail. The semaphores 6 and S will also have insulated contact-arms, such as 5 and 5, corresponding to that shown at 5, but somewhat shorter. The circuit controlled by the contactarm 5 has been hereinbefore traced. A single circuit may be controlled conjointly by the two semaphores S and S, and hence a single conductor may be connected to the contact-post 6. This conductor is indicated herein by 30 and is connected to the track-rail r, and a single conductor, such as 31, may also be connected to the two contact members 5 and 5 and to a track-contact c at the beginning of the block in advance of such semaphores, this track-contact being alined with the contact 0, but having four contact-faces instead of three, in order that it may sound four strokes on the signalbell'i in case there is a break in the track. Obviously all three of these semaphores for each block will be held in their normal clear positions by closed circuits thereto, and when any circuit is broken that one of the three semaphores which corresponds to such broken circuit will drop to danger, and thereby close one break in a circuit to the signaling device on the approaching train and not only warn the engineer that there is danger ahead, but also exactly what the nature of the danger is. Of course these semaphores might be located at different points in a block; but I prefer to locate them at a common point and mount them for movement about a common axis, substantially in the manner described.

.In addition to the track-contacts c and c I -have also shown in each block two other track-contacts, such as c and 0 the former IIO at the entrant end and the latter at the exit end of the block, both being out of alinement with the contacts 0 and 0. Moreover, the contacts 0 and c are out of alinement with each other and are intended to cooperate, respectively, with contact-makers t and 25 on the train, Which contact-makers are disposed in parallelism with one another, as are the contacts c or c and contacts 0 and 0 Both of the track-contacts o and 0 may be connected to conductor 2, as is the track-contact c.

The devices hereinbefore described are those shown in full and dotted lines at the upper side in Fig. 1 and correspond to the di rection of movement of a train, as indicated by the arrow shown in full lines. These devices and circuit connections are of course sufficient when the track is one side of a double-track road; but when it is intended to be used as a single-track road all of these should be repeated at the opposite side of the track, (the lower side shown in Fig. 1,) but placed to correspond to the direction of movement of the train, as indicated by the arrow shown in dotted lines, and in this view the system is so shown adapted for a single-track road.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the application of my present system of signaling to a main track having the usual track-rails "r and r and a siding (indicated in a general way by M) running parallel with the main track for a portion of its length, but having an interfering track-section running into the main track. Here I employ the usual semaphore S, with its local circuit L, relay 0*, and battery b; but the conductors 10 and 10 are connected in this case to the rails at opposite sides of a short insulated track-section of the siding, the rails of this short section being indicatedbymandm. Theusual circuit-wires 2, 2, and 2" are connected, respectively, to a track-contact c, the contact-arm 5 on the semaphore, and to the contact-post 6 and track-rail 1'. Of course as soon as a car or other vehicle stands on the section indicated by the track-rails m and 7n a circuit will be closed through the battery b,which will break the circuit to the semaphore S and cause the closing of one break in the circuit to a trackcontact 0, and hence both the semaphore and the indicator '0' will be operated to warn the engineer that a car or engine on the siding projects into position to cause a side-wiping collision with his train advancing on the main track. It will be noticed that the track-contact c" has two contact-faces and will therefore cause the sounding of two strokes on the bell 1', thus indicating to the engineer exactly the nature of the danger.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated the application of my improved system for showing whether the main track or the siding is open at a switch. In this case the semaphore and its local circuit and the circuit controlled by the semaphore are substantially the same as those described, but conductor 2 is connected to a contact device 0, having a single contactface for sounding a single stroke on the bell 1', and conductor 2 is connected to a switchrail w, forming part of the track-switch. Moreover, the conducting-rails 10 and 10 instead of being connected to the rails of the track are connected the one to a movable and the other to a fixed member of a circuit-controlling switch governed by the movements of the track-switch directly, this latter being indicated in a general way by W. The switch-operating means for the trackswitch may be of any suitable construction, but I have illustrated herein a simple switchrod to", carrying a movable circuit-controlling arm 40, cooperative with a fixed contact 41, to which the conductor 10 is connected. It will be evident that when the switch-rod is operated to open the track-switch, as shown in Fig. 3, the circuit through the battery I) will be closed, the relay 1' operated, and the local circuit L broken, while when the trackswitch is closed contact will be broken at 4:0 41 and the local circuit L will be closed to maintain the semaphore in its normal clear position.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, it will be seen that I also employ in connection with my improved system a register or recorder operative in somewhat the same manner as is shown and described in my prior patent hereinbefore mentioned. This register or recorder, which is designated in a general way by B, may be supported at any suitable point and in any proper manner, but will usually be carried on the train in the cab of the locomotive. It embodies ordinarily two recording devices of any suitable construction, one of which is indicated by Z and the other by Z, these recording devices being substantially similar in construction and being mounted in this case on a suitable support, such as 50, forming part of the register-case. The recording devices may have a swinging movement and be normally spring-pressed, in a well -known manner, away from the recording medium or dial d.

The recording members will usually be a pair of puncturing devices, such as 51 and 51, hinged loosely to the outer ends of the oscillatory arms 52 and '52 of the recording devices. The rear ends of these arms 52 and 52 may constitute armatures of a pair of electromagnets, such as n and 'n', which may be mounted in suitable brackets 53 and 53 on the support 50. The electromagnet n is connected in this case by a conductor 54 to a conductor 55,leading from the battery b,while a similar conductor 54 connects the electromagnet 07. with said conductor 55. A conductor 56 connects the opposite side of the electromagnet n to the traveling contactmaker 25, while a conductor 57 connects the other side of the electromagnet n to the electromagnet 60 of the bell or indicator 2', the opposite side of this electromagnet 60 being connected by a conductor 58 to the traveling contact-maker 25. One side of the indicating device 1' is connected by a conductor 61 to the traveling contact-maker t and the other side to the conductor 55, which leads from the battery I), and the minus-pole of this battery is in turn connected by a conductor 62 to the axle or some other part of the vehicle which is in communication with one or both of the track-rails r and 'r.

In order that the system may be adapted for use in connection with a single-track road, it is desirable to employ two sets of traveling contact devices, one of which is indicated in a general way byT and the other of which is designated by T. These contact-makers may be of anysuitable construction and may operate in any desired manner. In the present case they are intended to make contact with the track-contacts whenever they pass the latter, and for the purpose of preventing the closing of circuits from both contact devices T and T simultaneously I have shown at p a three-pole switch connected in circuit with the conductors 56, 58, and 61 and shiftable automatically by the reversing-lever R of the engine, so as to close the circuit to the traveling contact device T through conductors 56', 5S, and 61 or to the contact device T through conductors 56", 58", and 61", as the case may be, in accordance with the direction of movement of the train; but it should be understood that while fixed contact devices having yielding contact members, such as that shown at t in Fig. 10, may be employed to cooperate with the track-contacts, such as the one shown at c in said figure, yet swinging contact-arms of the type shown in my prior patent, hereinbefore referred to, may be used or any other device suitable for the purpose.

All of the parts of the register or recorder should be inclosed in a suitable casing, such as O, in order to prevent tampering with the record. The simplest devices may be employed for the purpose of supporting the recording medium or dial and turning the same,

' and in this instance I have illustrated on a main arbor, such as 70, supported by the framework or casing of the recorder, a ratchetwheel 71 supporting the dial (Z and adapted to turn the latter one step each time that the puncturing member 51 perforates the paper or cardboard dial (Z. The means for rotating the ratchet-wheel 71 include the electromagnet 60, hereinbefore described, in the circuit to the recording device Z, and I may employ the usual spring-pressed pawl, such as 72, for imparting the step-by-step movement, said pawl being pivotally supported in this case at one end of an angle-lever, such as 7 3, the opposite end of which carries the armature of the electromagnet and is retracted by a suitable spring, such as 73.

The dial (Z will usually be divided into a circuit of segments, which may correspond to the number of blocks on the road, if desired, and the ratchet-wheel should have therein two circuits of indentations or perforations, such as 71 and 71, for the purpose of permitting the respective puncturing members or needles 51 and 51 to pass through the dial (Z. The ratchet-wheel may be maintained in contact with the dial by means of suitable springs, such as 75, which will cooperate to press the dial into contact with a washer, such as 76, the movement of which may be limited by a stop-pin 77 on the arbor 70.

In order to permit proper access to the mechanism of the recorder and at the same time prevent tampering therewith, the casing will preferably have a cover C hinged thereto and a lock, such as Z, of any suitable type.

The track-contacts c and c are preferably placed the former at the beginning and the latter at the end of the block, the former cooperating with the traveling contact member 6 and the latter with t". Now if the engineer enters a block and receives asignal that there is danger ahead, of course one of the semaphores-just ahead of him willbe in the danger position and will close a circuit to one or more of the contact devices t, t, and t. Ordinarily the first signal he will receive will be the bellsignal of three strokes, indicating that there is a train on the block ahead of him, and immediately thereafter the puncturing device 51 will be operated to puncture or perforate the dial (Z in one of the segments thereof. On the breaking of the circuit to this recording device, which will of course be as soon as the contact device 25 passes the track-contact 0 the puncturing device Z will return to its normal position, and immediately after the puncturingmeedle clears the dial the pawl 72 will be spring-pressed to feed the ratchetwheel another step, it being evident that the feed movement is imparted directly by the spring and that the electromagnet 6O merely operates to retract the pawl and indicate the feed. After receiving the signal and having the dial punctured in the outer of the two circuits or segments to be perforated the engineer, knowing that there is danger ahead, should stop his train; but if he should proceed and run out of his block and pass a track-contact 0 another circuit would then be closed and this time through the electromagnet 'n of the second recording device Z, and the other puncturing member 51 would then perforate the dial in the proper segment of the inner circuit. It will be seen, therefore, that whenever a train enters a block the bell-signal will not only be the first warning received by the engineer, but will also indicate exactly what is the nature of the danger ahead, the circuit through the contact-maker if being the second to be closed and indicate the feed of the pawl 72 and also operate the first recorder Z, while if the warning signal is not heeded and the engineer runs out of the block with his train the second traveling contact-maker i will thereupon close the circuit to the second recording device Z and make a permanent record of such improper running. Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; a semaphore controlling a block-circuit; and a pair of successively-operative electrical registers both controlled by said block-circuit.

2. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; a semaphore controlling a block-circuit; and a pair of successivelyoperative primary and sec ondary electrical recorders both controlled by said block-circuit.

3. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; a semaphore controlling a block-circuit; and a pair of successively-operative primary and secondary electrical recorders carried by said vehicle and both controlled by said block-circuit.

4. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; semaphores controlling, respectively, blockcircuits; and a pair of successively-operative electrical registers in separate circuits both controlled by one semaphore.

5. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; semaphores controlling, respectively, block circuits; and a pair of electrical registers operative successively, one at the beginning and the other at the end of a block, and disposed in separate circuits both controlled by one semaphore.

6. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor formin g insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; semaphores controlling, respectively, blockcircuits; an electrical recording device con-- trolled by a block-circuit; a recording-dial; and dial-feeding means also controlled by a block-circuit.

7. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; semaphores controlling, respectively, block-circuits; an electrical recording device controlled by a block-circuit; a recording-dial; and dial-feeding means in circuit With the recording device.

8. In an automatic electric block-sign al system, the combination, with a track having a sectional conductor forminginsulated blocks, of a vehicle movable along said track; semaphores controlling, respectively, block-circuits; an electrical recording device controlled by a block-circuit; a recording-dial; and step-by-step dial-feeding means also controlled by a block-circuit.

9. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a pair of tracks one having a sectional rail forming insulated blocks and the other having an interfering insulated track-section, of a vehicle movable along said tracks; a semaphore controlled by said insulated track-section and controlling a block-circuit to the block in advance of such insulated track-section; and a pair of successively-operative primary and secondary electrical registers both controlled by said semaphore.

10. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a pair of tracks running in the same direction side by side and crossing each other and one having a sectional rail forming insulated blocks and the other having an interferinginsulated track-section, of a vehicle movable along said tracks; a semaphore controlled bysaid insulated tracksection and controlling a block-circuit to the block in advance of such insulated track-section; and a pair of successively-operative primary and secondary electrical registers both controlled by said semaphore.

11. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track divided into blocks, of a plurality of separately-controlled block-circuits for each block, at least one being a normally-closed safety-circuit connecting the rails at opposite ends of one side only of such block and unaffected by any normal Working conditions, and a plurality of separately-operative semaphores for each block and controlled, respectively, by said block-circuits.

12. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track divided into blocks, of a semaphore for each block and controlled by a normally-closed circuit connecting the rails at opposite ends of one side only of such block and adapted to be broken on a break in the circuit at the rails.

13. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track divided into blocks, of a pair of separately-operative semaphores for each block, one semaphore controlled by said vehicle and the other by a normally-closed circuit connecting the rails at opposite ends of one side only of such block, and adapted to be broken on a break in the circuit at the rails.

14. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track divided into blocks, of a plurality of separately-controlled block-circuits for each block, at least one being a normally-closed safety-circuit connecting the rails at opposite ends of one side only of such blockand unaffected by any normal Working conditions, and a plurality of separately-operative semaphores located at a common point in each block and controlled, respectively, by said block-circuits.

15. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a track divided into blocks, of a plurality of separately-controlled block-circuits for each block, at least one being a normally-closed safety-circuit connnecting the rails at opposite ends of one side only of such block and unaffected by any normal working conditions, and a plurality of separately-operative concentric semaphores located at a common point in each block and controlled, respectively, by said block-circuits.

16. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, with a main track having a sectional conductor forming insulated blocks, and with a siding, of a trackswitch; a vehicle movable along said tracks; a semaphore controlling the block-circuit of the blockin advance of such track-switch and controlled by the track-switch; and a pair of successively-operative primary and secondary electrical registers both controlled by said semaphore.

17. In an automatic electric block-signal system, the combination, With a track divided into blocks, of a vehicle movable alongsaid track and having audible signaling means thereon and also having a traveling contactmaker in circuit with said signaling means; a plurality of block-circuits for each block; a plurality of semaphores for each block and controlled, respectively, by said block-circuits; and a plurality of semaphore-controlled circuits for each block, said circuits having track-contacts With dissimilar contact-faces cooperating With the traveling c0ntact-maker.

LOUIS CHARLES WERNER.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. CLARKSON, P. J. OoseRovE. 

